EXAMINATION AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS

The hospital admits patients for either examination or treatment. Examination refers to court-ordered mental examinations. Patients ordered for treatment are admitted either by decision of The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) or by decision of the Senior Physician on application by the hospital district. The Medical Director decides when a patient can be admitted, so that The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health cannot overload the hospital’s bed capacity through its decisions. Provided that the decision can be justified the Medical Director may also decide not to admit a patient, whereby The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health will find an alternative treatment or examination facility. Decisions regarding treatment, examination and diagnosis are made by physicians. Although treatment and examinations at the hospital are generally based on the Mental Health Act’s provisions regarding “involuntary treatment”, the objective is to carry out treatment as far as possible in cooperation with the patients.